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Acoustic Zen Crescendo

I'm pretty interested in these transmission-line, full-range speakers. Has anyone spent serious time with them? How do they compare to other contenders around $16K?

Unfortunately, I'd have to fly to SoCal for an audition, so I'd like to vet them as thoroughly as possible before committing the time and expense. Press has been very positive but also very limited, and user impressions are scarce on the web.

Thanks in advance,

Bill
wrm57
face
516 posts
 
Bill,
I would not call Crescendos laid back. Neutral would be a better description as they have plenty of detail and sparkle, but without a hint of harshness. I also believe they come with spikes.
vmhf
52 posts
 
Perhaps I put it wrongly. Laid back for me means not in your face or front row sound. Although this could all be dependent on equipment and room acoustics. In the distributor's place with all Rogue Audio tube gear I got this impression. Also with my Herron/CJ combo I get a similar sound with a bit more 'punch'.
Everything in terms of detail, air and sparkle is there as others can atest to who have listened to the speakers at my place.
Cheers.
mdp's avatar
mdp
34 posts
 
Bill,I hope you didn't mind me giving your post a bump,I wasn't trying to hi-jack your thread. I think we're on the same quest!
Victor,James, Thanks for the insight,it sure has me excited at the chance to hear the Crescendos next month.
Victor, I'm really glad you had a chance to hear the Sync. Ones,I really love these speakers and think they play above their price range,hence my initial question about being worth the money to move up.
I'm very interested in hearing the tweeters used in the Crescendos. I have a sensitivity to cymbals that sizzle instead of sounding natural,because of a slight case of tinnutis in my right ear.
My PSB's use a titanium dome tweeter. I have been wondering if the metal tweeters are the cause of the irritation. I don't have a lot of experience with that many speakers, so I really don't know.
Victor, knowing that I really like what I have now,except for the slight harshness that I hear on cymbals, do you think I'll be pleased with the sound of the Crescendos?
Thanks,
Mark
dmm53
63 posts
 
I had the opportunity to hear the Crescendos in a retailer's home here in NY with the Ayon Triton powering them, sourced through one of the Ayon cd players. The room did have some acoustic treatments.I spent about an hour.

The soundstage, imaging and detail were spectacular. I was very impressed all around, especially with the ability of the Triton to drive these fairly large speakers with absolutely no effort.

If I had the physical room, I would have already bought them. They are a bit large.
ncable
3 posts
 
Just got mine 30 March. The tweeter is incredible! I had previously tried the Adagios, but they just didn't do it for me in the low end. I thought the Crescendos might sound similar to the Adagios...but they are even better in the high and mid frequencies. That two inch ribbon tweeter makes piano overtone transients come to life in such an incredible manner. My prev. speakers had twin titanium dome tweeters, which were pretty good, but these 2" Kapton ribbons ROCK! I was initially woried about having to sit in the sweet spot to hear them, but the dispersion is very wide and tall! Guitars sound incredible! I'm fairly pleased so far w/ the bottom end. There seems to be a fair amount of improved detail. I'm getting over what I think was some bass bloat from my previous speakers. I am augmenting with REL B1 Brittania, which has integrated very nicely. I'm so far quite happy w/ my purchase. I'm currently using AZ Matrix REF II ICs and Hologram MK II spkr cables w/ Hologram MKII Jumpers. Amp is a Bryston 6BSST @ 300W into 8ohms. Source is Oppo BDP-83SE NuForce Ed. Pre-amp is Marantz AV7005 (not sure what I think of it yet).
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